The Catawba Small Area Plan Committee hosted a community input meeting on May 20, 2003 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Claremont. The purpose of the meeting was to receive input from citizens about the future of their community which the Committee will use in the development of a Small Area Plan. In addition to the Planning Committee members, eleven (11) citizens attended the meeting.
The format of the meeting included an introduction of the Committee members and general information on the Small Area Plan process. Those in attendance were then divided into small groups and were asked three questions: "What do you like about the Catawba area?; What concerns do you have for the Catawba area?; What is your future vision of the Catawba area?". Then the individual small group comments were posted on large sheets of paper on the walls and attendees voted for the top five issues that were important to them. Attendees were asked to limit one vote per issue.

Specific
issues that residents voted on are listed
below. The number beside each issue indicates
the number of votes it received. If an issue
does not have a number beside it, the issue
was listed for voting but no one voted for
it.

Community
- 7
Open Space/Close Proximity
Small Town/Community
Low Crime Area
Churches (1)
Undeveloped Land/Open Spaces
Sense of pride for our community (1)
Historical Sites/Heritage (2)
Children Play Safely
Cultural opportunities
Diversity (people, cultures)
Good feeling when driving thru community
Country style living (3)
Good blend of people & church-related
communities
Privacy - lack of population
Well-maintained properties

Public
Services
Good Medical Facilities
Good Schools/New School Building
Development stages of schools

Community
- 7
Some towns/cities are stronger than others
(2)
Keeping elderly in community (1)
More focus on elderly (4)
Losing farms

Environment
Flooding of creeks/streams

Public
Services - 13
Stronger enforcement junked/abandoned vehicle
rules
More County law enforcement needed for
the area
Lack of utilities (water, sewer) (8)
Need more information for availability
of county services (1)
Community recreation department - place
for children (4)